By Liam Price, photos by Jonathan White and Peter Robinson
Nantwich Town claimed an excellent three points to take into Christmas with a 3-1 win over Bootle at the Swansway Stadium.
The Dabbers made 3 changes from the draw with Vauxhall, as Tyler Hill came in for Perry Bircumshaw, Tom Pratt for Callum Saunders, and Nathan Sandison for Joe Robbins.
It was the visitors who had the first shot in anger, Kenzie O’Neill seeing his effort blocked on the edge of the Nantwich box.
Sean Williams then fired high and wide as Bootle looked to test the Nantwich goal.
Paddy Kennedy flicked a header wide of the far post from Nantwich’s first corner of the game in what was really only a half chance.
Very shortly after came the biggest moment of the first half. Tom Pratt was sprung in behind by Kai Evans and was adjudged to have been fouled in the box by Sean Smith for a Dabbers penalty. Pratt’s heavy touch in the box drew the challenge but Bootle argued Smith, who got booked, got the ball.
Tony Thompson saved Byron Harrison’s spot kick but Pratt was quickest to react and tucked in the rebound for his 5th of the season.
Pratt tried to get his second with a header that was planted straight at Thompson from a pinpoint Sandison delivery.
A couple of dangerous Bootle crosses just got away from the men in blue as they tried to equalise.
Andy Scarisbrick, who scored in the Bucks’ win against Nantwich in the first game of the season, tried to repeat the feat but fired a snapshot wide, he scuffed another effort over the bar a couple of minutes later.
Evans’ first shot in the game was a difficult one for Thompson as it moved in the air and he couldn’t hold onto it, but his defence were there to clear.
It was Ben Garratt’s turn to be tested at the other end as he parried away a low Bootle strike.
The Dabbers doubled their lead just before half time. A Nathan Sandison corner was headed in expertly by captain Troy Bourne, who flicked his header at the near post into the far corner. It was Troy’s first goal of the season and had clearly been worked on in training, coming off handsomely in this game.
The other side of half time saw Nantwich make it 3-0. An electric run and pass from Evans was tapped in by Byron Harrison who made up for his miss in the first half in the best way. If there was an award for Assist of the Season, Evans would be in contention with his blistering run, this after Sandison’s audacious backheel for Pratt the previous weekend.
Sandison saw a shot of his own blocked, before Joe Woolley kept Garratt on his toes with a good strike at the other end.
Bootle made a flurry of subs to try and salvage something, by far the best of which was Conor Harwood who had a good impact, slicing one shot wide.
Courtney Duffus was another sub who saw a shot bundled behind. The Dabbers were dropping a little too deep and inviting the pressure from the visitors onto them, something Jon Moran has spoken about trying to manage better in the past.
Toby Jones rose highest from a corner and saw his header cleared off the line by the Nantwich defence.
3 minutes later the Bucks hit the bar as a scramble in the box was almost forced in.
Garratt made a rare mistake in spilling a cross which he did well to recover from by stopping Harwood from scoring the rebound.
Nantwich tried to wrest back control of the game when another mazy Evans dribble came through to Pratt who hit straight at Thompson, but he may well have been offside anyway.
The visitors did get one back late on, and in real style. A spectacular overhead kick by Toby Jones in the penalty area drew applause from some of the Nantwich supporters and will surely be in the running for both league and club Goal of the Month/Season awards.
It would have been worthy of winning most games, but today was the Dabbers’ day as they extended their unbeaten home league run to 9, with 7 of those wins.
The next home game for the Dabbers is on New Year’s Day (Wednesday 1st January) against Newcastle Town at 3pm.
Teams
Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, James Melhado, Tyler Hill, Kelvin Mellor (Daz Thornton, 75), Troy Bourne (C), Paddy Kennedy, Tom Pratt, Matty Tweedley, Byron Harrison (Callum Saunders, 78), Nathan Sandison (Joe Robbins, 59), Kai Evans (Ali Hayder, 90+2)
Sub not used: Eric Merner
Goals: Pratt (15), Bourne (45), Harrison (49)
Bootle FC: Tony Thompson (C), Sam Hughes (James Cooper, 61), Sean Smith, Toby Jones, Thomas Hannigan, Sean Williams, Kenzie O’Neill (Kyle Campbell, 54), Joe Woolley, Tom Peterson (Conor Harwood, 54), Andy Scarisbrick, Ben Hodkinson (Courtney Duffus, 54)
Sub not used: Will Bell
Goal: Jones (85)
Attendance: 522